Still Life with Fish 1668 - 1690

R. van Burgh painted this Still Life with Fish in the late 17th century using oil on canvas. Van Burgh, who died at only 30 years old, encapsulates in this work the Dutch Golden Age's complex relationship with commerce and nature. Look closely, and you might notice that the fish and fowl aren’t just food; they’re symbols of status and wealth. During this time, the Netherlands was a major player in global trade, including the fish market. Dutch society valued the sea as a source of prosperity, which supported this demand for luxury and the rise of still life painting. However, there’s a tension here too. The painting captures a moment frozen in time, highlighting the transient nature of beauty and life. The fish, though realistically rendered, are lifeless, which invites us to consider the cost of such opulence. What does it mean to commodify nature, and what are the consequences of doing so?